Personal smoke filter or smoke trap

ABSTRACT

A personal smoke filter or smoke trap includes a hollow tube having an input opening to receive the smoke exhaled by a user, and an exit opening. The tube contains a paper filter; a first fiber filter; a carbon filter; and a second fiber filter. The fiber may be polyester. The smoke passes through the filters and out the exit opening, thereby filtering the smoke. Also included are end caps to seal the tube.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims benefit of priority from U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 61/152,873, filed Feb. 16, 2009, which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to smoking, and morespecifically, to a smoke filter.

After smoking from a pipe, cigar, cigarette, or the like, and inhalingsmoke into one's lungs one must exhale the smoke into the atmosphere.

As can be seen, there is a need for a filter for exhaled smoke.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a device to filter smokeincludes: a hollow tube having an input opening adapted to receive thesmoke, and an exit opening; a paper filter within the tube; a firstfiber filter within the tube; a carbon filter within the tube; and asecond fiber filter within the tube; wherein the smokes passes throughthe paper filter, through the first fiber filter, through the carbonfilter, through the second fiber filter, and out the exit opening,thereby filtering the smoke.

In another aspect of the present invention, a personal smoke filterincludes: a paper filter; a first polyester filter; a carbon filter; asecond polyester filter; a hollow tube having an input opening adaptedto receive the smoke from a mouth of a person, and an exit opening, thetube containing the paper filter, the first polyester filter; the carbonfilter, and the second polyester filter; and an exhaust exit openingring for the exit opening of the hollow tube.

In yet another aspect o the present invention, a method for filteringsmoke includes: receiving the smoke from a mouth of a user who exhalesthe smoke; passing the smoke through a hollow tube; forcing the smoke inthe tube through a paper filter, a first fiber filter, a carbon filter,and a second fiber filter; and expelling the filtered smoke.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdrawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts an exploded view of an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 depicts a side view the embodiment of FIG. 1 with end capsattached;

FIG. 3 depicts a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 with end capsreleased; and

FIG. 4 depicts a cross-sectional view the embodiment of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplatedmodes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. Thedescription is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merelyfor the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention,since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Various inventive features are described below that can each be usedindependently of one another or in combination with other features.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention generally provides apersonal smoke filter or smoke trap.

An embodiment of the present invention may include a personal smokefilter or smoke trap that may allow the user to exhale the smoke into afilter that may reduce and filter the smoke as it passes through,reducing the smoke and odor that enters the environment.

As depicted in FIG. 1, an embodiment of the present invention mayinclude a device 10 having end caps 20, 22 that attach onto each end. Atube 30 at a first end of the device 10 may be made of material, suchas, but not limited to, acetonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS),polypropylene (PP) or polyvinylchloride (PVC) plastic. Tube 30 may beapproximately 4 inch×2.75 inch, having an input opening 32 on which theuser places his mouth to blow smoke in. A one-stage paper filter 40 maystart about 1.5 inches inside the opening of the tube 30. This may befollowed by a first polyester filter 50, a one-stage activated carbonfilter 60, and a second polyester filter 70. At the second end of thedevice 10 may be an exhaust exit opening ring 80 to form an assembledpiece. In other embodiments, cotton is used instead of polyester forfilters 50 or 70 or both.

FIGS. 2 and 3 depict an assembled device 10 having a tube 30 with endcaps 20, 22. FIG. 4 depicts a cross-section of the device 10 showing apaper filter 40, a first polyester filter 50, a carbon filter 60, asecond polyester filter 70, and an exhaust exit opening ring 80.

To use an embodiment, one may remove the first end cap 20 from theopening in the tube and the second end cap 22 from the exit, place one'smouth on the opening 32 and blow smoke in. The top zone inside the tube30 may be empty for about 1.5 inches to provide an air space 34. Thesmoke may be forced by the air pressure of the user blowing to passthrough a series of one paper filter 40, one activated carbon filter 60,and two polyester filters 50 and 70, surrounding the activated carbon 60in stages. The air may be expelled from the exit end of the tube 30through an exhaust exit opening ring 80, containing substantially lesssmoke and odor than the input air. The caps 20, 22 may help seal eachend of the tube 30 so that no odor may emanate from the device when notin use.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates toexemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the following claims.

1. A device to filter smoke, comprising: a hollow tube having an inputopening adapted to receive the smoke, and an exit opening; a paperfilter within the tube; a first fiber filter within the tube; a carbonfilter within the tube; and a second fiber filter within the tube;wherein the smokes passes through the paper filter, through the firstfiber filter, through the carbon filter, through the second fiberfilter, and out the exit opening, thereby filtering the smoke.
 2. Thedevice of claim 1, wherein the first fiber filter includes polyester andthe second fiber filter includes polyester.
 3. The device of claim 1,wherein the input opening is adapted to receive the smoke from a mouthof a user who blows the smoke into the device.
 4. The device of claim 1,further comprising: a first end cap to releasably seal the inputopening; and a second end cap to releasably seal the output opening. 5.The device of claim 1, further comprising: an air space inside the tubebetween the input opening and the paper filter.
 6. The device of claim5, wherein the air space is approximately 1.5 inches long.
 7. The deviceof claim 1, further comprising: an exhaust exit opening ring.
 8. Apersonal smoke filter, comprising: a paper filter; a first polyesterfilter; a carbon filter; a second polyester filter; a hollow tube havingan input opening adapted to receive the smoke from a mouth of a person,and an exit opening, the tube containing the paper filter, the firstpolyester filter; the carbon filter, and the second polyester filter;and an exhaust exit opening ring for the exit opening of the hollowtube.
 9. The filter of claim 8, further comprising: a first end cap forthe input opening; and a second end cap for the output opening.
 10. Amethod for filtering smoke, comprising: receiving the smoke from a mouthof a user who exhales the smoke; passing the smoke through a hollowtube; forcing the smoke in the tube through a paper filter, a firstfiber filter, a carbon filter, and a second fiber filter; and expellingthe filtered smoke.